What is the meaning of ‘handsome is as handsome does’?
(B. Natraj, Mumbai)
This is an expression that has been around for several hundred years, and it has the same meaning as ‘pretty is as pretty does’. Not very helpful, is it? What the expression literally means is that it is not the looks of the individual that are important, but the good deeds that he performs: in other words, good behaviour and chivalrous deeds are much more important than good looks.
*Venu may not be much to look at, but he is always helping those who are in need. Handsome is as handsome does.
According to some scholars, the expression was first recorded by the English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer. In the movie ‘Forrest Gump’, the main character comes up with his own version of the proverb: ‘stupid is as stupid does.’
S. UPENDRAN
upendrankye@gmail.com
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